HR PRACTICES AND STRATEGIES ON THE HOTEL INDUSTRY IN IRELAND

HR practices and strategies on the hotel industry in Ireland

[Name of University]Abstract

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explore different levels of line manager perspectives, namely strategic and first-line on their role in human resource management (HRM) and human resource development (HRD), and to identify enablers of and barriers to devolving HR to line managers.

Design/methodology/approach - Using a deductive approach, case study data was collected from 76 hotels, owned by Hilton IRELAND, via self-administered questionnaires to strategic and first-line managers. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the quantitative results, prior to significance tests being conducted in SPSS to identify differences in means based on managerial positions.

Findings - A number of points of divergence in opinions are revealed, implying that there is potential for the case organisation to secure greater engagement of its first-line managers in HR roles. Reducing the workloads and short-term job pressures of these managers, together with capitalising on the good relations with the hotel HR specialists are means to develop greater engagement. Importantly, improving all line managers' understanding of the organisational basis of their involvement in HR may bolster their performance in HR activities.

Originality/value - This paper offers a fusion of two theoretical perspectives (HRM and HRD), in addition to identifying differences in perceptions of two different levels of line managers.

HR practices and strategies on the hotel industry in Ireland

Chapter 1

Introduction

In 2001, Hilton resorts begun a service quality advance (Equilibrium), with a human resource (HR) approach and employee training and development group (Esprit) right through its resorts that effected in line managers in resorts supposing bigger liability for human resource management (HRM) and human resource development (HRD) activities. Together, HRM and HRD pursuits comprise HR roles. This paper investigates line managers' scenery on appreciating their job, embracing their participation in, and consignment to, HR pursuits - and acknowledges enablers of and hurdles to devolving HR to line managers. Different stages of management in time spans of strategic and first-line perspectives are examined. For the intent of this paper, strategic stage managers have been delineated as general managers and deputy managers of resorts, while first-line stage managers encompass departmental heads and supervisors (Hales, 2005). The underpinning books re-evaluate positions the job of line managers from both HRM and HRD perspectives.

 

Chapter 2

Literature review

HRM and HRD have propagated up as distinct paddocks of study employing split models and practices (Ruona and Gibson, 2004). Relationships between line managers, HRM and HRD are arguably modifying (Gibb, 2003) and turning into more fused, in spite of carrying on discussion about the purpose of HRM (Budhwar, 2000) and scope of HRD (Garavan et al., 1999). In delineating the bindings between HRM and HRD, the bond has been called “ambiguous and elusive” (Mankin, 2003). Historically, the books on these two environs substantially delights HRM and HRD singly (Ruona and Gibson, 2004); consequently, this paper investigates the model on line director liability for HRM and HRD in turn.

Inherent in the fundamental thought of HRM is ...